Box with tamper-proof lid

ABSTRACT

A box with tamper-proof lid formed from a single peace of punched and crease-lined cardboard or similar flexible material, of the type having at least one closure panel of high resistance to opening with at least one flap positioned below and in contact with said closure panel when this is closed with a tab projecting therefrom inserted into the box. The tab is folded from the panel about a folding line an at its two ends it presents cuts into which said flaps extend to retain the tab in its closed position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a box with tamper-proof lid formed froma single piece of punched and crease-lined cardboard or similar flexiblematerial, of the type having at least one closure panel of highresistance to opening with at least one flap positioned below and incontact with said closure panel when this is closed with a tabprojecting therefrom inserted into the box, said tab being folded fromthe panel about a folding line, the two ends of which present cuts intowhich said flaps extend to retain the tab in its closed position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,374, EP-B-0709293 and EP-A-1340684 (all incorporatedherein as reference) describe boxes apparently similar to that of thepresent invention, these boxes having closure panels with highresistance to opening, from said panels there projecting tabs which areinserted into and retained in the respective box when made up andclosed, knurled lines being provided, which are broken when the closurepanels are opened for the first time, to highlight the fact that the boxhas already been opened.

The boxes described in the aforesaid prior patents are very efficient,but they all present the drawback of being able to be opened, usingconsiderable care and patience, without breaking the said knurling, byinserting a thin rigid blade below the closed panel, releasing the boxflaps which engage and retain the tabs projecting from said closurepanel, then rotating the closure panel (again by means of the thin rigidblade) to open the box lid; this fraudulent box opening operation isvery laborious and delicate, but it can be done.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a box similar tothose described in the aforesaid prior patents, but which is effectivelytamper-proof, in the sense that it cannot be opened without tearing alarge part of the box lid.

A further object is to provide a box which is of low production cost andcan be made up and closed in the manner of a common box of similar type.

These and further objects are attained by a box with tamper-proof lid,comprising:

-   -   four consecutive main panels and a flap projecting from the        fourth main panel on which the first main panel is superposed        and glued, the main panels and said flap being separated from        each other by longitudinal parallel folding lines,    -   two closure panels for the two ends of the box and projecting        from the ends of at least one of the main panels,    -   a tab projecting from the ends of at least one of the main        panels consecutive to that from which the closure panel        projects, the closure panels and said tabs being separated from        the main panels by transverse folding line perpendicular to said        longitudinal folding lines,    -   a lip projecting from each closure panel and separated from it        by a folding line the two ends of which are both incised by a        short cut the width of each closure panel between the folding        lines which separate it from the adjacent main panels and from        the respective lip being substantially equal to the width of        that main panel adjacent to that from which the closure panel        projects, wherein in the closure panel there is provided a        continuous cut which intersects the folding line and extends        with a succession of separate short cuts and a knurling towards        the side edges of the said closure panel.

Preferably, said continuous cut, the succession of short cuts and theknurling provided in the closure panel extend along a substantiallyarc-shaped line.

Again preferably, in said lips, external to that portion of the closurepanel bounded by the continuous cut C-shaped cuts are provided definingappendices projecting from the adjacent closure panel to leave free acorresponding window in the lip when this is folded about the respectivefolding line which separates it from the closure panel, from the tabsthere laterally projecting a hook-shaped tooth which when the box isclosed projects through the window left free in the lip by the adjacentappendix to retain this lip inside the box.

The invention also relates to the sheet in the form of a single piece ofpunched and crease-lined cardboard or similar flexible material forforming a box having the aforesaid characteristics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and characteristics of the box of the invention will bemore apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred embodimentthereof given by way of non-limiting example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figures from 1 to 3 represent a punched and crease-lined cardboard sheetshown in plan view and in its successive respective stages of folding toform a box open and lying flat on itself;

FIG. 4 represents on a considerably enlarged scale one of the two boxclosure panels, shown flat and integral as it appears in Figures from 1to 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a finished and closed box, with itsclosure panel integral; and

FIG. 6 shows, on an enlarged scale and seen from a different angle, anend portion of the box of FIG. 5, but with its closure panel tamperedwith, torn and partially lifted upwards.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will firstly be made to FIG. 1, which shows, spread out inplan view, a piece of punched, crease-lined and knurled cardboardcomprising four main panels 1-4 and a flap 5 separated from each otherby longitudinal parallel folding (crease) lines 6-9. A closure panel 10projects from each of the two ends of the panel 1, a tab 11 projectingfrom each end of the panels 2 and 4, the closure panels 10 and the tabs11 being separated from the respective main panels by transverse foldinglines, all indicated by the reference numeral 12.

From each panel 10 there projects a lip 13 which is separated from thepanel by a folding line 14 the two ends of which are both incised by ashort cut 15, the width of each panel 10 between the folding lines 12and 14 relative thereto being substantially equal to the width of thetwo main panels 2 and 4.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 4, in each of the two lips 13there are provided two C-shaped cuts which define appendices 19projecting outwards from the panel 10 when in its flattened position(FIGS. 1-4). When the lips 13 are folded about the respective foldinglines 14 (which occurs when the two ends or lids of the made-up box areclosed as in FIG. 5), the appendices 19 remain coplanar with therelative panel 10 to leave free within the lips 3 windows into whichhook-shaped teeth 20 (FIGS. 1-3) projecting laterally one from each tab11 are inserted and hooked. When the box is closed, those ends of thetabs 11 close to their folding lines 12 become inserted into therespective cuts 15 provided at the ends of the folding lines 14, tohence considerably obstruct the opening of the box lid.

All the aforedescribed structural and functional characteristics areknown from U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,374, EP-B-0709293 and EP-A-1340684,incorporated herein for reference: in particular, FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat.No. 5,207,374, FIG. 4 of EP-B-0709293 and FIG. 6 of EP-A-1340684 showhow the tabs 11 of the box can interfere with the lip 13 to opposeopening of the lid of the box of which they form part.

In the cardboard sheet shown in the accompanying figures it can be seenthat the panel 1 is provided with a breakable knurling 21 and asemicircular aperture 22 defining an appendix 23 which can be grippedwith two fingers of a hand and pulled outwards to break the panel 1along said knurling: in this manner a lateral lid is obtained, rotatableabout the folding line 6.

It can also be seen that in the flap 5 there is provided a cut definingan aperture 24 into which the appendix 23 of the rotatable lateral lidcan be inserted and retained after it has been opened to extractcontained articles from the completed box.

The presence of the said lateral lid is not however necessary forimplementing the present invention.

The new and characteristic part of the box according to the inventionregards the structure of its end lids formed by the closure panel 10 andthe lip 13 connected to and projecting from it.

As can be seen in particular from the enlarged scale reproduction ofFIG. 4, a continuous arc-shaped elongate cut 16 is provided in theclosure panel 10 to intersect the folding line 14 and extend beyond theline 14 into a portion of the lip 13: the cut 16 is continued beyond itsends by a succession of separate short cuts 17 terminating with aknurling 18 which reaches the side edges of the panel 10 (FIG. 4).

After the box has been made up and closed (FIG. 5), if an attempt ismade to lift the end lid with a finger, an inevitable traction isexerted upwards on the panel 10 at the cut 16, so causing the panel tobreak along the short cuts 17 and the knurlings 18: the closure panelthen assumes the attitude shown in FIG. 6, immediately highlighting thefact that the box has been tampered with.

Even if, with the closure panel unbroken and with the end lid (of whichit forms part) closed (FIG. 5), a rigid blade is inserted between thepanel 10 and the tabs 11 to attempt to fraudulently open the lid, theclosure panel 10 will again be broken along the short cuts 17 andknurlings 18 given the small size and the consequent weakness of thosepoints of the panel 10 where the panel is complete (i.e. without shortcuts and knurlings) on its surface (along the arc-shaped line where thecut 16, the short cuts 17 and the knurlings 18 are provided), while thelip 13 will sufficiently securely retain (even if there were no tabteeth 20 inserted and hooked into the lip apertures left free by theappendices 19) that portion of the panel 10 to which said lip 13 isconnected along the folding lines 14.

Again considering FIG. 1, the box is made up by firstly rotating thepanel 4 (and with it the flap 5) about the folding line 8 to superposethem on the panel 3, then a thin strip of glue 25 is applied to the flap5 in proximity to the folding line 9 (FIG. 2), after which the panel 1is rotated about its folding line 6 to superpose it on the flap 5, towhich it is then fixed by the strip of glue 25 (FIG. 3).

The box manufacturer has thus terminated box production, piles of flatmutually superposed boxes (FIG. 3) then being despatched to the userfirm which, by means of automatic machines of known type operating athigh speed, shapes each box by firstly pressing the two opposing foldinglines 6 and 9 towards each other (so that the box cross-section becomesrectangular), then automatically closes the bottom cover of the box,inserts into it the products to be contained, and finally closes the topcover.

The box hence assumes the shape shown in perspective view in FIG. 5, inwhich the lip 13 (forming part of the box end lid visible in FIGS. 5 and6) is inserted below the panel 3 and securely retained thereat by thetabs 11 (as already fully described in the aforesaid prior patents).

If an attempt is made (possibly using a rigid blade inserted between theclosure panel 10 and the underlying tabs 11) to fraudulently open ortamper with the box end lid, of which the panel 10 forms part, the panelwill certainly be broken.

1. A box with tamper-proof lid, formed from a single piece of punchedand crease-lined cardboard or the like, comprising: four consecutivemain panels and a flap projecting from the fourth main panel on whichthe first main panel is superposed and glued, the main panels and saidflap being separated from each other by longitudinal parallel foldinglines, two closure panels for the two ends of the box and projectingfrom the ends of at least one of the main panels, a tab projecting fromthe ends of at least one of the main panels consecutive to that fromwhich the closure panel projects, the closure panels and said tabs beingseparated from the main panels by transverse folding lines perpendicularto said longitudinal folding lines, a lip projecting from each closurepanel and separated from it by a folding line the two ends of which areboth incised by a short cut, the width of each closure panel between thefolding lines which separate it from the adjacent main panels and fromthe respective lip being substantially equal to the width of that mainpanel adjacent to that from which the closure panel projects, wherein inthe closure panel there is provided a continuous cut which intersectsthe folding line and extends with a succession of separate short cutsand a knurling towards the side edges of the said closure panel.
 2. Abox as claimed in claim 1, wherein said continuous cut the succession ofseparate short cuts and the knurling provided in the closure panelextend along a substantially arc-shaped line.
 3. A box as claimed inclaim 1, wherein in said lips, external to that portion of the closurepanel bounded by the continuous cut, C-shaped cuts are provided definingappendices projecting from the adjacent closure panel to leave free acorresponding window in the lip when this is folded about the respectivefolding line which separates it from the closure panel, from the tabsthere laterally projecting a hook-shaped tooth which when the box isclosed projects through the window left free in the lip by the adjacentappendix to retain this lip inside the box.
 4. A box as claimed inclaims 2, wherein in said lips, external to that portion of the closurepanel bounded by the continuous cut, C-shaped cuts are provided definingappendices projecting from the adjacent closure panel to leave free acorresponding window in the lip when this is folded about the respectivefolding line which separates it from the closure panel, from the tabsthere laterally projecting a hook-shaped tooth which when the box isclosed projects through the window left free in the lip by the adjacentappendix to retain this lip inside the box.
 5. A sheet in the form of asingle piece of punched and crease-lined cardboard or similar flexiblematerial for forming a box having the characteristics resulting fromclaims from 1 to 4.